HARTFORD, Conn — State environmental officials are warning you to be aware of the bear as we head into the fall.
Close encounters are more common this time of the year as bears search for food to add an extra layer of fat to prepare for hibernation.
If you think bears don't live in the city, think again. Tuesday morning, residents on Ridgefield Street near Keney park got an early morning visitor
"That was a big bear," said Freddie Priester.
The bear crossed his front lawn and crossed into his neighbor's yard for a feast on some trash.
"When I went to our back yard our trash can was knocked over," said Asha Greene, who was woken up to a commotion. "I was sleeping and all I heard was oh my gosh come look look!"
Melissa Almedina spotted the bear on her commute to work at about 6:30AM and snapped a few photos.
"I just stood there, and I took two pictures and then I started yelling to the neighbors, there’s a bear in your yards! But no one came out it was so early in the morning."
The bear made its way through the neighborhood just as kids were beginning their walk to school.
"I called animal control because I knew around 7 a.mthe children would be walking to school," said Greene.
So far this year, there have been 42 reports of bears breaking into Connecticut homes. That's more than in any previous year.
Whatever you do, the state says don’t feed them.
DEEP's Director of Wildlife, Jenny Dickson said, "that sort of trains them to do bad things. It trains them to think people are a way they can get food. It makes them lose their fear of people and that’s not good for the bears or for us."
But across the state there are reports of problem people baiting bears. Increasingly, town have drafted local ordinances prohibiting wildlife feeding.
The state has also considered legislation on the issue.
Granby town officials told me they will be discussing the issue at their next board of selectman meeting.